Although, I thoroughly enjoyed the Miss
Representation documentary, I had some doubts on some of the stats. Well... not
really some doubts, more like questions. Why would you put this in the movie?
You are just contradicting your claim and purpose! The statistics that I was
most worried about was the ones pertaining to men vs. women or boys vs. girls.
I could understand if they alluded to the fact that women were taking a back
seat to men ALL the time and that men were simply breezing through life easier
than women, but the percentages and numbers stated differently.
1)
While girls are twice as likely to think about suicide,
boys are four times more likely to actually die from it.
This is a statistic shown in the documentary
"Miss Representation." A documentary centered around women's
portrayal in the media and how women are affected by the media.
What my question about this stat is: Why? Why would
they want to put this fact in here? If you ask me, it seems to completely
downplay media's effects on girls and, instead, up-plays the effect it has on
boys! We can come to the conclusion based on the context that the reason for
girls thinking about suicide is the "media," but is it the same
reason for boys?
I feel that this statistic hurt the documentary and
its prose. It made me think, "Oh, yea. Girls can have media-rooted self
esteem issues and think about suicide, but it's even worse for the boys. Why
wouldn't they make this movie about the boys?"
"Miss Representation" got this statistic
from a website titled "Teen Suicide Facts."
http://www.teensuicidestatistics.com/statistics-facts.html
After looking into this statistic a little bit, I
found a website that is called "Teen Suicide."
http://www.teensuicide.us/articles1.html. Here I found that girls are, in fact,
more likely to attempt suicide, but boys are more likely to go through with it.
This does parallel the statement revealed in the documentary, and after a
little separate research of my own, I can safely say that it is true.
I still don't understand why this would be in a
documentary about women suffering from media effects. I feel like this
statement distracts the viewer and transports them into a questioning state of
mind. They might ask why they aren't making a film about the effect the media
has on boys?
I feel that the information is credible and true
word for word, but it simply is not fit to be in the video.
2)
54% of men want a boy if they only had one child. 26%
of men have no preference for the gender of their child. 19% of men want a girl
if they only had one child. (These stats have not changed since 1941.)
Again, I'm not entirely sure why the directors of
this movie "went there" with the men/boys, but I may have a hunch.
From this stat I know that most men prefer to have sons as opposed to
daughters. My hunch is that the producers of this film wanted the viewer to
recognize the conclusion, and assume that most men, as the media has
"portrayed," struggle understanding women/girls. They would much
rather have a special bond with their little buddy, take them fishing, teach
them how to play sports, and so on. That's where my hunch stops. I have no clue
where the women's portrayal and hardship trying to live up to impossible
expectations comes in.
As for the source of this statement, I couldn't
find a listing of it on the Miss Representation website:
http://www.missrepresentation.org/
But I did find another website in my further research
called Ingender: http://www.in-gender.com/XYU/Gender-Preference/ It said that
women were virtually equal in their preference of getting a boy or girl, while
men were 2.5 more likely to hope for a son. It was tested by the Gallup
Organization in (interestingly enough) 1941 and had not changed in over 50
years (the same time frame as the Miss Representation stat). This stat from the
website also parallels the original statement.
I could understand the documentary statistician
using men and women work force and political stats in favor of men; to make it
appear that women are suffering from pop culture and media, but the two
statements above were completely in favor of women. Maybe I could do some
further research into suicides and parental gender preferences. (729)
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